Review: Dyson Pedestal Fan

Let's just get this out of the way upfront: This thing looks an upgraded version of the Guardian in the classic Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever." And I'm pretty sure sticking your hand through it could have more or less the same outcome.

But if you can't resist the temptation to put your hand (or head) though the gaping hole from whence forced air magically appears from the Pedestal, at least you won't get carved up by those pesky blades that have been the essence of every other electric fan since the device was invented in the 1800s.

The Dyson Pedestal (and the Tower, which we haven't evaluated yet) are the newest iterations of the Dyson Air Multiplier series introduced last year as desktop devices. And they're just in time too. We got one in to test-drive during what's proving to be one of the hottest summers on record (in New York, at least).

Dyson claims its "Air Multiplier" technology, which doesn't use conventional blades, "generate smooth, uninterrupted airflow with no unpleasant buffeting." I must say, it is a pleasant experience sitting in front of the Pedestal but I can't say the $50 floor fan I bought last week is unpleasant. And if that one buffets I have either not noticed or don't care or am not a sufficiently sophisticated air current aficionado.

Admittedly there is a fair amount of science involved here — suffice it to say this is as inventive as the Dyson vacuum cleaner, which (you will pardon the expression) redefined suck by showing how much other vacuums sucked. (Full disclosure: I've owned a Dyson DC25 Animal for many years. The Dyson Pedestal is a review copy).

Just as the Dyson vacuum got rid of the bag and thus the baggage of vacuuming, the beauty of this beast is the singular lack of rotating blades — indeed, there are no (visible) moving parts unless you turn on the 90-degree oscillation.

But there are reasons to own one. Knocking it over won't cause the fan to become uncalibrated. No flimsy wire cover will pop off, presenting a theoretical danger to small children, pets and inebriated guests (or hosts). It's dead simple to assemble and very easy to clean. No troublesome knob to keep it from oscillating. There's even a fingertip control for adjusting the angle — no heavyset screw.

But a possession like this is more about the aesthetic or even minor ease-of-use advantages, and there's no reason to apologize for sometimes placing a high value on style. The truth is that some people need a fan but wouldn't be caught dead leaving one out for "company" to see. This fan will get a prominent place in a living room and a lot of use.

No, the Dyson Pedestal will not be hastily stuffed into a closet when one is entertaining. In fact, I can imagine some Mr. Smooth showing it off to his date like the iPad he casually left on the coffee table and the Montblanc Meisterstück 149 piston fountain pen he never fails to carry (or use).

Just make sure that when you are putting the moves on, you avoid the phrase, "Hey, stick your hand in here!"